Marzapane in Rome, a grounded balance of flavors

With a new chef, Rome’s Marzapane restaurant has improved its personality and cooking style while, at the same time, maintaining its warm and welcoming ambiance.

Sunday, March 8, International Women’s Day, was a surreal Sunday on the streets of Rome that were already semi-deserted two days before the national lockdown was imposed to combat the current health emergency.
 

Restaurants had thus not yet received the order to close but “social distancing” was already a reality given that they were practically empty. My mother and I decided to go out for a walk and have lunch at Marzapane, something which we had wanted to do for some time. We had been to Mario Sansone’s restaurant before, when Chef Alba Esteve Ruiz was in the kitchen and before it had undergone a restyling, and were curious about the new set-up we had read good things about. We were not disappointed and our expectations were not only surpassed but represented a very pleasant surprise. That day we were the only customers at the restaurant, everyone else had cancelled their reservations, and so we had its professional yet discreet staff all to ourselves.

The restaurant is basic, no tablecloths on its warm wooden tables, unshaded lamps and an open kitchen giving out enticing aromas, with everything contributing to creating a warm and immediately welcoming ambiance.

The meal began with a welcoming treat from Chef Francesco Capuzzo Dolcetta: a small, fermented potato focaccia that was warm and fragrant and made it clear that there has been a change. It was composed of distinct and bold flavors that were never commonplace but teased you into taking the next bite.

We ordered an assortment of starters – the menu was very intriguing and I wanted to order everything – new potatoes, Sardinian mussels and veal marrow with Meyer lemons. Then there was a fowl liver pâté in aspic which we generously spread over some fragrant and fresh homemade bread, naturally leavened for 72 hours. We also had two, tasty skewers cooked in a kamado grill: one with tomino cheese and the other with chicken basted with the juice from chicken and peppers stew. Outstanding.

Among the first courses, all particular, we selected smooth pennette pasta with razor clams and figs. This was without a doubt the best first course I’ve tasted in some time. I love trying new dishes and all kinds of restaurants and those of you who travel a lot like me know how hard it is to try something that will give you “goosebumps”, that shiver up the spine that we food lovers feel when we discover something new and immediately put it on the list of “I need to eat this again really soon”. Well, these pennette, to eat with a spoon, gave me goosebumps. Our other pasta dish was capellini with beef “butter” and licorice powder, the flavors and consistency of which were balanced and melted in your mouth.

For our second course, we had wanted to try a dish I had seen a photo of on their Facebook page: ossobuco cooked in bread. Unfortunately, it was not on the menu that day and the chef, seeing our sad faces, sought to cheer us up with grilled ossobuco seasoned with salt and citron zest. The bread was missing but it was just as good as I had expected thanks to its disarming simplicity.

To accompany the whole meal we had a young, flavorful and very fresh Valle d’Aosta Petit Arvine from the Le Clocher winery that complimented every dish.

We topped off the meal with two desserts, the Torta quasi Barozzi with Viterbo hazelnuts and cascara coffee ice cream and a meringue with whipped cream, a millefoglie pastry with alternating layers of crispy meringue and soft whipped cream with balsamic apple cider vinegar balancing the pronounced sweetness of the dessert.

I can say without a doubt that this “new wave” at Marzapane, so grounded, essential, fun and distinguished by strong and natural flavors, is captivating and convincing and at a reasonable price, which is always good.

 

Marzapane Roma
Via Velletri 39
00198 Roma
Tel. +39 06 6478 1692
Facebook: marzapaneroma
email: info@marzapaneroma.com
http://www.marzapaneroma.com
Lunedì: chiuso
Martedì: 19:30 - 22:45
Mercoledì/Domenica Pranzo e cena

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